Educators, journalists and other citizens of the U.S.A. are worried after a recent study revealed high school students' views toward the First Amendment. The Knight Foundation's "Future of the First Amendment" survey found that students either don't care about the First Amendment or don't know how they feel about this important right. While many of the findings are indeed distressing, the survey does bring some hope.
First of all, let's not overreact and proclaim these students are doomed to lives of ignorance and communism. None of us were constitutional lawyers in high school. High school students have plenty of other things to worry about--such as getting good grades for college, developing friendships and relationships during a hormonal stage and school activities. Speaking of extracurricular fun, the survey showed work outside of the classroom actually brings awareness to the First Amendment.
Fifty-two percent of students who do not have classes in student media or First Amendment take freedoms for granted. However, only 28 percent of those who have taken four or more classes in media or First Amendment feel this way. And 61 percent of student media participants believe newspapers should be able to publish without government interference, while only 28 percent of newspaper students believe Big Brother needs to keep its eye on the press. But why do any newspaper students (and non-media students for that matter) think the government should censor stories? Have the news media soured their public image this much due to scandals at outlets such as CBS News and the New York Times?
While the government does not censor professional publications, principals often exercise prior review over student media. Shockingly, in a Ball State journalism education class, many soon-to-be journalism teachers said when they were high school students they had no problem with their newspapers being censored. What climate are schools creating when students happily and willingly surrender their rights to a free press? A free press at any school not only makes the reporters better journalists, but honest and accurate stories force schools to operate in an appropriate and fair manner. When a school's sins are swept under the carpet, the entire school suffers. Sadly, the study revealed one in five schools now have no student media whatsoever.
Along with students allowing themselves to be hushed, there are other problems with their First Amendment views. While students who mistakenly believe it's illegal to burn the American flag (75 percent) or who think the government can censor the Internet (49 percent), if they aren't better educated in history classes, how else can this First Amendment ignorance be solved? Principals and administrators must also understand the importance of free student speech. This survey is a start to making the problems well-known, and organizations such as the Journalism Institute for Digital Education, Activities, and Scholarship (J-Ideas) are working to develop four-credit courses aimed at principals. Professional media is also getting involved; for example, newsrooms are continuing to send journalists into student publications offices as part of an American Society of Newspaper Editors program. The Richmond Palladium-Item is also lending a hand by providing answers to common First Amendment questions in every Monday newspaper.
Some people may look at this entire situation and think aloud that this is a big to-do about nothing. And you know what?
That's their First Amendment right.
Write to Gerry at gappel@bsu.edu
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